You were made to farm, and now you're the emperor of an empire?

Chapter 417 Withdrawal of Troops
There is a limit to how much grain production can be increased.

It's not the limits of crop genes, but the limits of the external environment.

Crops such as wheat, cotton, sugarcane, and vegetables may still have room for improvement.

But rice has undergone multiple rounds of breeding, and the areas where it could be improved have already been improved.

The high yield of rice in the city is entirely due to its superior genes.

Pests, fertilizers, soil, and climate are all external factors that reduce yields and are unrelated to crop variety genes.

The closer she gets to the limit, the weaker Gavial's spellcasting effect becomes.

There are ways to break through the limits.

Developing pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, scientific high-density planting, and hybrid breeding... will allow us to break through current limitations and continue to improve agricultural yields.

Roman lacked these resources, and continuing to increase production was wishful thinking. He could only ask Gweil to ensure that the good traits selected would not degenerate.

……

The two walked side by side onto the stone arch bridge and passed through the guarded pass.

Just then, they heard the chaotic sound of iron hooves behind them.

Lysa was the first to notice. She turned around, frowned, and saw a group of silver-armored knights riding towards them.

The Silver Moon Knights are far superior to ordinary warrior knights, and are extremely expensive. They are Roman's strongest force and are rarely deployed, let alone appear in teams.

"Lady Lysa!" The leading knight reined in his horse and saluted her. "Gerviel!" The knight then looked at Gerviel.

“Brother Green!” Gweil looked somewhat surprised. Unlike the carefree Green she remembered, he was now wearing silver armor and looked noble and upright.

Lysa asked, "Lord Grin, where are you going?"

“I’m responsible for bringing them before His Highness,” Green replied. “What happens next is unknown.”

Lysa seemed to be deep in thought.

……

They arrived at the Castle of Abundance, where Roman was waiting for them in the castle hall.

The Silver Moon Knights remained outside, while Grimm and Vice-Captain Herman entered the hall, accompanied by Gwyneth and Lysa.

As soon as I entered, I saw Roman sitting in the main seat, resting his chin on his hand, lost in thought.

The other witches had returned from the military camp and were now sitting on either side.

The atmosphere was silent; the air seemed to freeze.

Gweil noticed that Sanna was sitting in an inconspicuous spot and winked at her.

Gweil couldn't help but laugh, quietly slipping away from the group and coming to Sanna's side.

“Your Highness,” Lysa bowed.

Roman snapped out of his reverie, looked at Lysa, and sighed suddenly.

"To be honest, I don't want you to go and save the winter earth."

Valya has been asleep in the north for years, and the prophet hopes to awaken her. This requires the Silver Moonstone.

The moment Roman learned of this, he even felt that the prophet's help in plotting the Silver Moon Gem was ultimately aimed at awakening Valya.

The Frost Witch whose blood flowed through her veins was that of a giant.

Roman had already heard about Valya's deeds.

Seven years ago, Shasta rode a giant eagle and traveled alone to the land of Winterfell in search of a miracle, eventually bringing Valya back to the Witchwood.

Later, Valya played a crucial role in the battle of the Holy City. At the last moment, she led her companions out of the Holy City, but she herself was on the verge of death and had to fall into a deep sleep, where she was forever sealed in an ice coffin.

Even without casting spells, Valya's physical attributes are comparable to those of a high-ranking knight.

This is a wonderful thing.

After all, Roman never hesitates to invest in order to reap greater returns in the future.

However, the prophet foretold in his letter that this matter was fraught with danger and risk, and that the evil creatures lurking in the far north would reveal their claws and cause trouble in secret, so it was highly unlikely to end well.

The situation is not what it was seven years ago. It's impossible for someone to go to Cangyue alone and get things done. The land is in constant turmoil. The Land of Wandong experienced unrest many years ago, and some of Roman's early slaves were Wandong people. There are too many unexpected factors.

This was a long journey, a trip to a foreign country, not something that could be completed in ten days or half a month.

“I will follow your instructions.” Lysa readily agreed.

“I have promised to send the Silvermoon Knight and your sister to accompany you.”

The prophet valued Valya highly and wanted Roman to try, even if it was risky.

Lysa asked, puzzled, "But wasn't the road to the outside world blocked?"

There's absolutely no way a well-organized group of Silvermoon Knights could break through the encirclement. Even if they did, it would be useless; they would die in the ensuing pursuit.

Roman's expression softened immediately, and he tapped the battle report on the table with his finger.

"Macol has begun to withdraw his troops."

The two sides were locked in a stalemate for more than half a year, which took a long time and involved two large-scale battles and countless smaller battles.

But after the harsh winter, Black Iron finally couldn't hold on any longer.

To be precise, it was the group of Black Iron nobles who couldn't hold on any longer.

All signs indicate that the allied forces are falling apart, with one noble family after another leaving Lion Territory with their own armed forces without looking back.

The combined power of the Black Iron King and the Pope was immense, but this prestige was waning. Repeated defeats made it increasingly difficult for many nobles to obey Blackburg.

We've been fighting for so long, wasting money and resources, and there's been no benefit. I'm not playing with you anymore!

With a large number of nobles withdrawing their troops, the forces of Stone Castle and Lion Territory were left to fend for themselves, and Macol would not be able to stay for long either.

This news is also why Roman agreed to take the gamble.

Green asked, "Am I going too?"

"No, you have more important things to do."

Green is Roman's right-hand man, and this mission may last for three to five months. He can't possibly let Green go for that long.

“Herman, you have twenty Silver Moon Knights with you… as well as the witches Gwen, Monica, Zelda, Saya, and Ilsa…” Roman looked around and slowly named them.

"Dangdang!"

Roman turned his head and looked at him, his face turning somewhat dark.

He was talking about serious business on stage, while Sanna and Gweil were playing musical chairs below, jostling each other until the chairs tipped over, causing them to fall over and tumble together. They quickly got up and stood still.

“It’s all your fault…” Sanna whispered.

Gweil's eyes widened. "You used too much force."

Roman's brow twitched as he heard the two of them still shifting blame to each other.

"Get out!" he said.

"Your Highness, you haven't finished speaking yet. Do I have to go too?" Sanna asked guiltily.

Oh no, I've caused a mess. Luckily, Kao isn't here, or I'd be getting yelled at again.

"Get out!" Roman stared at her coldly.

Sanna was originally on the list. Her talent could help distant troops avoid a lot of trouble. She was the best scout and explorer, and her combat strength was not weak either.

But now it seems she was still too young.

“Yes…” Sanna’s face turned bitter, and she had no choice but to take her leave and leave the hall.

"Then I'm leaving too." Seeing that everyone in the room was looking at her, Gweil said softly and hurriedly fled the scene.

After the two left, Roman continued, "Kayla and Flina should go too."

One can fly, and the other has a large-scale sonic attack; they should be useful.

The special forces captain led twenty Silver Moon Knights, along with seven mid-level battle witches and Lysa, who possessed the Silver Moon Gem. This level of force was sufficient to launch a forced attack on the castle of a mid-level noble.

(End of this chapter)